Concerns raised over lack of facilities for residents in Cavan estate

The residents of Killymooney Drive in Cavan have expressed their concerns about a lack of residential space and playing facilities.

The issue has left children playing on the roads around the local estate, which is causing a lot of worry for parents.

As a mother living in the estate, Maureen Ellis said the only space her kids have to play in is “the road in front of the house”.

While out watching them, “every five minutes” cars come along and disrupt their play. The lack of appropriate space is causing great concern for parents who also flagged a problem with cars speeding by.

Concern

“There is just enough room for one car to go up [the street] and a child, they don’t look, they just run,” said Catherine Coombes told The Anglo-Celt.

“Is that what it takes? Something to happen a child?” Brian Morris questioned.

Despite the installion of a carpark in recent times, specifically intended for users of Tullacmongan pitch, residents claim users are still parking on nearby kerbs.

“It’s never been as busy with cars around here, it’s crazy,” said Brian.

While neighbours highlighted their plight to the Celt, activities on the floodlit astroturf pitch were in full swing with soccer practice. Alongside it, the public playground sat in darkness. With no lights of its own, users of the playground rely on the dim light spilling over from the artificial pitch. When there is no training, the playground is shrouded in darkness.

Maureen’s daughter asks if she can go and play with some other children in the playground, a request she refuses.

Access

On occasion, Maureen has seen “stuff that shouldn’t be there” such as “condoms” and “little empty bags of weed”, which she would “definitely not” want her children to come into contact with.

“It’s filthy now at the minute,” she explained.

She recalled when children were allowed to play on the astro pitch, which is owned by Cavan County Council (see council response below).

“When my oldest was younger she was allowed out on the pitch and I could sit in my front garden and watch her and you could close the gate.

“You knew they were safe.”

She would like to see “all the kids” be allowed on the pitch when training is not happening.

“Just open the gates, let them on even if it’s just for a few hours a day.”

Residents commit that, if the pitch was open for children to play outside of cleaning times, they would operate a cleaning rota for it to ensure its upkeep.

“Every hour there’s either training on or there’s football, but most evenings you won’t have this and we’re still not allowed on the pitch.

“We even agreed that we would come off the pitch whenever the football was over. We’d come off and let them train.”

“No, nothing ever worked out,” laments Maureen, adding that “every gate is locked.”

Brian recalls that during the summer months there was “nothing whatsoever” on the pitch, while children played football on the roads.

“Anybody with children will go in there and keep things clean and keep things right, it’s not as if there’s going to be no adults in there with them.”

Asked why he thinks children aren’t allowed on the pitch, Brian says: “I’d say it’s a lot to do with football clubs”.

Cavan County Council was awarded €346,742 for resurfacing of the Cavan Astro Park at Tullacmongan in Sports Capital Funding last month, and locals now feel the community should also benefit from the investment through access.

Stand off

Growing up in the estate, Brian recalls when there was grass where the pitch is now located.

“It was just a field, and they still used to play their football on it. Everybody used to play on it and there were no problems.

“They brought this astroturf here and it just all seems to be football now with clubs and they want it all locked.

“It’s not right, it’s not fair on the kids growing up for their mental health.”

While the pitch was under construction, the residents were under the impression that their children would be allowed to use the pitch upon completion.

It was opened in 2013 by then FAI chief John Delaney.

“We were told it was always a community pitch and then we were told it wasn’t,” he claims.

“You can’t let young kids out, on a night like this especially,” said Brian, referencing to the darkness at the early hour of 6pm.

“I know they’re all out there playing now but they’re paying for that.”

Sinn Féin Deputy Pauline Tully is supportive of the parents’ campaign for access.

“When it’s not in use, why not let the young people of the area use it?” she asks.

“It’s only fair, it’s taking up their green space so they need a place to play and there’s a large number of children and it’s not safe on the streets.”

INSURANCE AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG REASONS FOR RESTRICTED ACCESS – COUNCIL

Asked about public access to the astroturf facility, a spokesperson from Cavan County Council said: “The Astro Park at Tullacmongan is available for the entire community to enjoy, however, in order to guarantee the safety of users and ensure the ongoing availability of the facility, it is important that use of the pitches is in the form of organised, supervised events such as training sessions, matches, or events such as the recent FAI camps, supported by Cavan Sports Partnership.

“The facilities are also availed of during the daytime by the local community playgroup, operating at Tullacmongan Resource Centre.”

The spokesperson said there has “unfortunately” been “a number of documented incidents of vandalism and antisocial behaviour at the site”.

“So it would not be safe to allow unlimited access to the facilities, which presents a risk of broken glass and other sharps, dog fouling, and other harmful litter. This is the case at astro pitches across the county, and indeed, the country.”

They add that: “For insurance purposes, it would not be possible to implement an arrangement of that nature. Any football clubs using the facilities, in addition to the community childcare service, have their own insurance policy. This would be a requirement for any facility of this nature, nationwide.”

Speaking on the lighting in the playground, the spokesperson said lighting is “not currently under consideration”.

“The age cohort for which the playground caters will, by and large, not be outdoors outside daylight hours, and lighting up the area at night would be more likely to attract anti-social behaviour,” they said.